Talk about a fashion statement.
Video screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET

T-shirts have long been used to express opinions, assert individuality, and spread messages. The tshirtOS prototype is trying to become the first commercially available programmable, Internet-connected digital T-shirt.

The shirt is a joint venture between high-tech fashion company CuteCircuit and Scotch whisky maker Ballantine's. I'm not entirely sure what a high-tech T-shirt has to do with a venerable Scottish alcoholic beverage, but I'm sure there's a marketing tie-in here somewhere.

The shirt features an integrated LED display, microphone, speaker, and accelerometer. To avoid strapping a big computing device onto your torso to run the gadget, the shirt is controlled via smartphone, which also enables the Internet connection.

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This approach opens up endless possibilities for what you could broadcast on a shirt. Tweets? No problem. Animated cats? Sure. Facebook status updates? Of course. NASA Mohawk Guy photos? Yes, please!

CuteCircuit is currently gauging interest in the T-shirt. If enough people are willing to buy in, there's a chance the shirt could hit the market for real. I, for one, can't wait to flash a never-ending stream of constantly shifting LOLcats across my chest.

About the author

Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET's Crave blog. When not wallowing in weird gadgets and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
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